Risk factors of Leukaemia in different hospitals of Punjab.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate potential risk factors of leukaemia.

METHODS: This case-control study was conducted in 5 hospitals in the province of Punjab, Pakistan, from May to September 2014, and comprised adult leukaemia patients and healthy controls with similar gender and marital status, and children patients and healthy controls with matching age and gender. Interviews were carried out face-to-face with adults and with the parents of the minors to obtain information on family history, lifestyle risk factors, employment history, residential history, trauma history and occupational and non-occupational exposures by using a close-ended questionnaire. Data was analysed using SPSS 16.

RESULTS: Of the 75 adults, 25(33.3%) were patients and 50(66.6%) were controls,while of the 120 children, 40(33.3%) were patients and 80(66.6%) were controls. Among adults those at risk of leukaemia had exposure to chemical factory (p <0.05),positive family history of leukaemia (p <0.006), positive trauma history (p <0.004), those who dyed hair (p<0.003), smokers (p <0.054) were born 1st or 4th among their siblings (p <0.037), lived near crops (p <0.069), worked in oil-refining factory (p <0.12), or spent more than 7 hours under direct sunlight (p <0.002). Among children subjects those at a greater risk of leukaemia had a positive trauma history (p <0.000) who were born 1stor 4th among their siblings (p<0.028), and had a positive family history of leukaemia (p <0.0484).

CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge of particular risk factors can help plan and execute safety measures to reduce potentially harmful exposures and decrease risk of leukaemia.